"Add to" Options

The orange menu in the upper right provides quick access to analysis and tracking tools. To learn more about Add to Tracking, Create Recipe, or Add to My Foods, please see the My ND Help page. To learn more about Add to Compare, please see the Compare Foods Help page.

Serving Size Drop-Down

Use the Serving Size drop-down menu to select the serving size that best fits your needs. The information displayed in the Nutrition Facts label, the Nutrition Information tables, the Estimated Glycemic Load™ graphic will be updated automatically as soon as you make your selection.

Ingredient List (for Recipes Only)

When analyzing a combination of foods that have been saved as a recipe, you will see a list of the individual foods and the selected serving size and quantity for each. For example, if your recipe contains carrots, you might see "Carrots: 1.5 x 1 cup, chopped (128g)" or "Carrots: 4 x 1 ounce (28g)," depending on which serving size you selected and which quantity you entered when creating the recipe. Note: The weight in grams refers to the selected serving size and not the weight of the indicated quantity. Clicking on the name of any individual ingredient will take you to the Nutrition Facts page for that food. (For more information on how to create a recipe, please see Nutrition Data's My Recipes Help page.)

Nutrition Facts Label

The Nutrition Facts label is generated according to the nutrition labeling standard maintained by the FDA. You will find Nutrition Facts labels in the same format on all packaged foods sold. The panel gives information about the nutrients that the FDA has determined are most critical in the American diet. Changing the serving size in the Serving Size drop-down at the top of the page will automatically update the Nutrition Facts panel with values for the selected serving size.

TIP: You can download a printable image (PDF) of this panel by clicking on the link below the panel.

Nutritional Target Map™ (patent pending)

This graphic helps you see at a glance how foods line up with your nutritional and weight-management goals by telling you how nutritious (nutrient-dense) and filling (calorie-dense) a food is. Foods are mapped according to two nutritional indices that were developed by Nutrition Data:

The Fullness Factor™ (FF) rates foods on a 0 to 5 scale that predicts the satiating effect of the food. Higher FF numbers indicate that a food is more filling or satisfying per calorie. Lower FF numbers suggest that a food will supply a lot of calories before you feel full. Therefore, foods with high FF numbers may support weight loss and foods with low FF numbers may support weight gain.
Read more on the Fullness Factor™.

The ND (Nutrition Data) Rating scores foods on a 0 to 5 scale based on the FDA recommendations for a healthy diet. A higher ND Rating indicates that a food is more nutritious. The proprietary formula used to derive the ND Rating takes into account the nutrient density of the food (how many nutrients per calorie), how many different essential nutrients are present, the relative importance of the nutrients present, and the amount of nutrients that are frequently overconsumed, such as sodium, cholesterol, and saturated fat.

How to Use the Nutritional Target Map™

Every food has a distinct position on the Nutritional Target Map™, and specific areas of the Map align with common nutritional goals such as weight loss, optimum nutrition, and healthy weight gain

Foods closer to the right edge of the map (with a high ND Rating) are considered to be good choices for optimizing the nutritional quality of your diet.

Foods closer to the upper right corner of the map (with a high Fullness Factor™ and a high ND Rating) are considered to be good choices for healthy weight loss.

Foods closer to the lower right corner (with a low Fullness Factor™ and a high ND Rating) are considered to be good choices for healthy weight gain.

Nutrition Data's Opinion

Nutrition Data awards foods 0 to 5 stars in each of three categories, based on their nutrient density (ND Rating) and their satiating effect (Fullness Factor™).

Foods that are both nutritious and filling are considered better choices for weight loss. Foods that are nutritious without being filling are considered better choices for healthy weight gain. Foods that have more essential nutrients per calorie are considered better choices for optimum health.

Note: Lower ratings do not necessarily mean that the food should be avoided but that it might be best consumed in moderation. Likewise, high ratings do not guarantee a perfect food but indicate a food that is more likely to be a positive addition to your diet.

Nutrition Data also indicates whether a food is high or low in various nutrients, according to the dietary recommendations of the FDA.

If a 200-Calorie serving provides...

The food is considered to be...

less than 2% of the Daily Value

very low in that nutrient

less than 5% of the Daily Value

low in that nutrient

more than 20% of the Daily Value

high in that nutrient

more than 40% of the Daily Value

very high in that nutrient

Because of the health risks associated with overconsumption of saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium, high levels of these nutrients are reported as "Bad," while high levels of more essential nutrients are reported as "Good." Nutrition Data also reports if more than 20% of the calories in the food come from sugars or alcohol, and if the food contains any trans fat.

Nutrition Data's Opinion and ratings are editorial opinions of Nutrition Data, given without warranty, and are not intended to replace the advice of a nutritionist or health-care professional. No food is completely good or bad for you: Optimum nutrition depends on your individualized needs and the combined nutritional benefits of all foods that you consume.

Caloric Ratio Pyramid™

This graphic indicates the percentage of the food's calories that are derived from the three main macronutrients—carbohydrates, fats, and protein. If the food contains alcohol, a fourth number will appear that indicates the percentage of calories derived from alcohol.

Each position within this special graph indicates a different caloric ratio. The top point of this pyramid indicates a food with 100% of its calories derived from fats (and 0% from carbohydrates and protein). As you move downward on the pyramid, the percentage of calories from fats decreases; the very bottom line of the pyramid indicates a food that is completely fat-free. In a similar manner, the left-most corner of the pyramid is 100% carbohydrate and the right-most is 100% protein.

How to use the Caloric Ratio Pyramid™

Although there are differences of opinion over which ratios are most optimal for health and weight loss, many popular diets are based on a particular caloric ratio. For example, the USDA guidelines recommend that approximately 60% of the calories you consume should come from carbohydrates and approximately 30% from fat. Proponents of the Zone™ diet recommend a ratio (40%-30%-30%) much lower in carbohydrates but higher in protein. Advocates of the Atkins™ and South Beach™ diets recommend even lower consumption of carbohydrates, while many other diet philosophies focus on an ultralow consumption of fats.

Regardless of which diet philosophy you subscribe to, the Caloric Ratio Pyramid™ will show you how various foods and meal plans align with your dietary goals. Any recommended caloric ratio can be envisioned as a "target zone." (Please see examples below.)

Estimated Glycemic Load™

Nutrition Data estimates the Glycemic Load of foods and recipes using a proprietary eGL formula. Because Glycemic Load is dependent on serving size, the eGL value will change if you adjust the serving size in the Serving Size drop-down at the top of the Nutrition Facts page. Glycemic Load gives an indication of how much a serving of a food is likely to increase your blood-sugar levels.

A composite eGL is also generated as part of Nutrition Data's My Tracking report. This composite eGL is the sum of eGLs for all foods in your running total. To learn how to use My Tracking to analyze your diet, see the My Tracking Help page.

How to use the estimated Glycemic Load™

Because Glycemic Load is related to the food's effect on blood sugar, low Glycemic Load diets are often recommended for diabetic control and weight loss. Foods with an eGL of 10 or less per serving are generally considered to have a low glycemic load. Foods with an eGL of 20 or more per serving are considered to have a high glycemic load. It is not necessary to avoid all foods with a high eGL to have a low glycemic diet, although you may wish to limit your intake of these foods.

Experts vary on their recommendations for what your total for the day should be, but a typical target for total eGL is 100 or less per day, distributed somewhat evenly across your meals and snacks. If you have diabetes or metabolic syndrome, you might want to aim a little lower. If you are not overweight and are physically active, a little higher is acceptable.

Nutrient Balance Indicator™

Very few foods contain a complete array of essential nutrients; therefore, it's important to eat a variety of foods to fulfill our nutritional needs. The Nutrient Balance Indicator™ lets you see at a glance the nutritional strengths and weaknesses of a food, and can help you construct meals that are more nutritionally balanced.

Each spoke in the wheel represents a different nutrient. The spoke for dietary fiber is colored green, protein is blue, vitamins are purple, minerals are white, and yellow represents a group of commonly overconsumed nutrients—saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium. The density of each nutrient is indicated by how far that spoke extends towards the edge of the graph. A Completeness Score™ between 0 and 100 summarizes how complete the food is with respect to 23 essential nutrients.

How to Use the Nutrient Balance Indicator™

The main purpose of the Nutrient Balance Indicator™ is to visually summarize a food's nutritional strengths and weaknesses. For example, in the above graphic, you can see that this food is a poor source of vitamin D, vitamin B12, and selenium but that the food does contain abundant amounts of dietary fiber, vitamin K, thiamin, vitamin B6, folate, manganese, and potassium. It is also high in sodium. This information can help you choose other foods that complement the strengths and weaknesses of this food and create a nutritionally complete diet.

Optimal levels for amino acids are based on the following amino acid profile recommended by the Institute of Medicine's Food and Nutrition Board:

Essential Amino Acid

mg/g of Protein

Tryptophan

7

Threonine

27

Isoleucine

25

Leucine

55

Lysine

51

Methionine+Cystine

25

Phenylalanine+Tyrosine

47

Valine

32

Histidine

18

Note: The Amino Acid Score calculated by Nutrition Data is a basic measure of protein quality, but it has not been adjusted for the digestibility of the protein. Protein digestibility depends on the type of protein (animal proteins are more digestible than plant proteins), as well as the method in which the food was prepared. If digestibility is accounted for, the Amino Acid Score will be somewhat lower than stated.

Protein Quality

Protein Quality is dependent on having all the essential amino acids in the proper proportions. If one or more amino acids are not present in sufficient amounts, the protein in a food is considered incomplete. Diets that are very low in protein or that are very restrictive in the types of protein consumed (e.g., vegetarian diets) may not provide complete protein.

Each spoke on the Protein Quality Indicator™ represents one of the nine essential amino acids. The size of each spoke is proportionate to the percentage of the optimal level for that amino acid. The amino acid with the lowest level is considered the "limiting" amino acid for that food and determines the overall Amino Acid Score.

How to Use the Protein Quality Indicator™

If the Amino Acid Score is less than 100, a link is provided to "complementary" sources of protein. These are foods that are higher in the limiting amino acid(s) and/or lower in the amino acids most prevalent in the food. By combining complementary proteins, you may be able to increase the overall quality of the protein you consume.

Detailed Nutrition Information

This segment of the analysis displays values for the 130+ different nutrients tracked by Nutrition Data. Click on the More details button at the bottom of any category to see an extended list of nutrients.

The Percent Daily Value (%DV) for those nutrients with FDA Daily Values is also listed to the right of the nutrient values. Changing the serving size in the serving size drop-down at the top of the page will automatically update these nutrient tables with values for the selected serving size.

Note: Not all foods have measured values for all nutrients. A "~" in place of a value indicates a nutrient that has not been measured or whose value has not been reported to Nutrition Data. For recipes, a "~" preceding a value indicates a nutrient for which one or more ingredients has no measured value.